Less Pain for Post-operative Patients: Benefits of Reflexology Use in a Hospital Setting

Medical Applications for Reflexology Part 2

Less pain is the result for post-operative patients who receive reflexology and other integrative therapies. At least that’s the finding from one Minneapolis hospital.

Use of reflexology meets the needs of medical facilities. Such benefits are noted in a study of post-operative pain and integrative therapies including reflexology applied to “1,837 cardiovascular, medical, surgical, orthopedics, spine, rehabilitation, oncology, and women’s health patients” by the Penny George Institute for Health and Healing at Abbott Northwestern Hospital (Minneapolis, MN). (17) 

The study found the various therapies reduced patients’ pain by as much as 50% “in an environment where pain management continues to be a major challenge, and traditional medications can have negative consequences.... “‘Roughly 80 percent of patients report moderate to severe pain levels after surgery,’ says Gregory Plotnikoff, M.D., one of the study’s authors .... “‘We struggle to provide effective pain control while trying to avoid the adverse effects of opioid medications, such as respiratory depression, nausea, constipation, dizziness and falls.’” 

“‘Our real-world study broadly shows that these therapies ... can be clinically implemented in real time, across, and under the operational and financial constraints within an acute care hospi- tal.’”... “‘I think we will find that integrative approaches to pain management during the hospital stay will improve patient satisfaction and outcomes, and we will see cost savings from patients using fewer drugs and experiencing fewer adverse events,” said Lori Knutson, RN, BSN, HN-BC, executive director of the George Institute.” (http://www.abbottnorthwestern.com/ahs/news.nsf/newspage/Non-drugPainRelief)